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Sex offender charged in three 1990s rape cases

A convicted sex offender is now charged in connection with three unsolved rape cases from 1995.

Updated: 11:18 PM EDT Jul 29, 2013

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Sex offender charged in three 1990s rape cases

A convicted sex offender is now charged in connection with three unsolved rape cases from 1995.

Updated: 11:18 PM EDT Jul 29, 2013

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Sex offender charged in three 1990s rape cases

A convicted sex offender is now charged in connection with three unsolved rape cases from 1995.

Updated: 11:18 PM EDT Jul 29, 2013

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WEBVTT TONIGHT.... A CINCINNATI MAN ISUNDER ARREST. BUT IT COULDHAVE BEEN YEARS SOONER.... IF ITWEREN'T FOR A MIXUP... INVOLVINGDNA. WLWT NEWS FIVE'S TERRYDANIELS.... IS LEADING THE WAYWITH OUR INVESTIGATION. HE'SLIVE... AT THE JUSTICE CENTER...TERRY.STANLEY LIGHTNER IS LOCKED UPHERE TONIGHT ON A 24-COUNT INDICTMENT... INCLUDINGSEVERAL COUNTS OF RAPE. THIS ACOPY OF HIS INMATE DNA TESTINGSENT TO ME FROM THE OHIODEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION. THEPROBLEM IS... THE ATTORNEYGENERAL'S OFFICE AND HAMILTONCOUNTY PROSECUTORS OFFICE SAYSHIS DNA WAS NOT ON FILE.(clip 5 "he needs to be in jailforever.") THIS IS STANLEYLIGHTNER...NOW AND FROM1995...THAT'S WHENHAMILTON COUNTY PROSECUTOR JOEDETERS SAYS HE COMMITTED ATLEAST 3 VIOLENT RAPES ....ATGUNPOINT.(clip 5 "their innocence wasstolen from them at a veryyoung age...and quitefrankly...they're probably luckyto be alive.")(CLIP 24 "he raped her rightthere in the corner in thatwooded area.")THIS WOMAN DIDN'T WANT TO BEIDENTIFIED BUT THE FIRST TO HELPONE OF THE VICTIMS BACK IN 1995.(C-26 "she started hollering andscreaming for help... help...andi said what's going on...shesaid i just got raped ...i saidoh my god... call the police.")LIGHTNER WAS CONVICTED OF TWOOTHER UNRELATED RAPES IN 1996AND SENT TO PRISON. HE GOT OUTIN 2007 AND HAS BEEN WORKING ASA COOK IN THE KITCHEN ATCINCINNATI'S UNION TERMINAL. HEMIGHT HAVE BEEN ID'ED IN THE 3OTHER CASES SOONER BUT HIS DNAWAS...WELL, APPARENTLY LOST.(pre-prod) THE OHIO DEPARTMENTOF CORRECTIONS TELLS MELIGHTNER'S DNA WAS COLLECTEDAFTER A LAW CHANGED IN 1997.HOWEVER, THE OHIO ATTORNEYGENERAL'S OFFICE TELLS ME THEYNEVER RECEIVED IT...AND NEITHERDID THE HAMILTON COUNTYPROSECUTORS OFFICE. ( endpre-prod) LIGHTNER WAS FINALLYIDENTIFIED AFTER A SEX OFFENDERREGISTRATION SWEEP AND HIS DNAWAS TAKEN IN JUNE..(C-5 "it's still a system run byhuman beings...people makemistakes and things happen.")STANLEY LIGHTNER WILL BEARRAIGNED TOMORROW. IN THEMEANTIME, JOE DETERS BELIEVESTHERE COULD BE OTHER VICTIMS OUTTHERE. IF YOU HAVE ANYINFORMATION...CAL LCRIMESTOPPERS. REPORTING LIVE,TERRY DANIELS,WLWT NEWS FIVE.NEW AT 11... A STATE POLICE